We present a method including continuum effects into nuclear structure mean-field calculations. We solve the Hartree--Fock--Bogoliubov problem in a basis made of the eigenstates of a Woods--Saxon potential. We show that the properties of stable nuclei remain unaffected, while the characteristic features of weakly-bound nuclei are correctly reproduced. We finally discuss the relevance of continuum effects on various nuclear observables.

PACS numbers: 21.10.--k, 21.60.--n, 21.60.Fw